The Basque Government participates in the European Declaration on Global Education 2050

• The European Congress on Global Education ended with the Dublin Declaration
• The declaration is intended to be the reference framework for advancing global education in European countries

Representatives from eLankidetza- Basque Agency for Development Cooperation, part of the Department of Equality, Justice and Social Policies, have taken part in the European Congress on Global Education held in Dublin over the past few days. At the end, the Global Education Network Europe (GENE), which brings together ministries and agencies from EU member states and works with the European Commission, has signed the European Declaration on Global Education 2050, better known as the Dublin Declaration.  

Education systems are changing to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to analyse a complex world. In addition, more and more European countries are considering global education or education for social transformation as a necessity. Global education implies respect for human rights, diversity, inclusion and life with dignity for all people and encompasses all types of educational initiatives, both formal and informal.    

In this sense, Paul Ortega, director of eLankidetza, recalled that for the last five years the Basque Country has had (H)ABIAN 2030, “an education strategy for social transformation, in which educational agents, public institutions, NGDOs and cultural organisations are committed to carrying out actions that promote a fairer, more equitable society that puts people's rights at the centre.”

Participation in the declaration

Given the need to promote global education as an instrument to move towards societies that take into account human rights, gender equality and sustainability, GENE opened a participatory process in 2020.

The declaration is the result of three consultation processes: a political process, with the participation of representatives of governments, ministries and international organisations; a process with people and entities involved in global education policy, involving young people, civil society organisations, universities and local and regional European governments; and a final part of awareness-raising and public consultation. In the process of consulting local and regional governments, Basque Country—which includes eLankidetza and the Association of Basque Cooperating Entities-Euskal Fondoa—, participated as a member of Platforma, a pan-European coalition of local and municipal governments working in the field of international solidarity.

In this regard, in May, a conference was organised in Bilbao together with Platforma to celebrate the fifth anniversary of (H)ABIAN 2030 and to learn about European experiences in education for social transformation.

The Dublin declaration is intended to be the reference framework for strengthening policy, strategy and momentum in European countries on global education for 2050. Along with commitments, it also includes practical mechanisms. “Today more than ever, we need to continue to join forces and take concrete actions to see the changes we want to see in the world,” said Ortega.